Each of the four days at the Cheltenham Festival boasts a major Grade 1 highlight. On Day 2, that honour belongs to one of the classiest chase events of the season, as the runners and riders line up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
First run in 1959, the race takes place over 1m 7f 199y on the old course, with 13 fences standing between the field and glory. Jumping accurately at speed is the main requirement for success as the runners chase £400,000 (2024) in prize money and a place in the history books. Open to chasers aged five and older, the race most often falls to a chaser between seven and nine years of age, with legendary names such as Badsworth Boy, Moscow Flyer, Master Minded, Altior and Sprinter Sacre featuring on the roll of honour.
2026 - Il Etait Temps
Il Etait Temps powered to victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase after taking advantage of Majborough’s jumping struggles. Majborough, the odds-on favourite, arrived at Cheltenham after an impressive 19-length win at the Dublin Racing Festival, but his old flaws returned as several mistakes ended his chances. Paul Townend kept Il Etait Temps travelling smoothly before making his move after the second-last fence. A mistake at the final obstacle briefly threatened his challenge, but he recovered brilliantly to win by a very handsome 10 lengths.
- 1st – Il Etait Temps 5/2, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd – Libberty Hunter 50/1, Jockey: Sean Bowen, Trainer: Mrs C Williams
- 3rd – L’Eau du Sud 13/2, Jockey: Harry Skelton, Trainer: Dan Skelton
2025 - Marine Nationale
Marine Nationale provided one of the most emotional moments of the Festival with victory in this contest, just weeks after the death of jockey Michael O'Sullivan, who had partnered him to Supreme Novices' Hurdle success in 2023. Sean Flanagan guided the eight-year-old to victory after odds-on favourite Jonbon made a costly mistake five fences from home that effectively ended his challenge. Marine Nationale and 40/1 outsider Quilixios drew clear before the final fence, with the winner staying on strongly to seal a poignant success welcomed by O'Sullivan's family in the winner's enclosure.
- 1st - Marine Nationale 5/1, Jockey: Sean Flanagan, Trainer: Barry Connell
- 2nd - Jonbon 5/6F, Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - Captain Guinness 25/1, Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
2024 - Captain Guinness
Captain Guinness finally gained the Grade 1 success his consistency had long promised in a dramatic edition of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The complexion of the race changed early when 2/9 favourite El Fabiolo made a serious mistake at the fifth fence before being pulled up, denying Willie Mullins a landmark 100th Cheltenham Festival winner. Edwardstone continued to force the pace until falling two from home, leaving Rachael Blackmore to send Captain Guinness clear. Gentleman De Mee kept on gamely but never quite reached the winner, who scored by a length and a quarter.
- 1st – Captain Guinness 17/2 - Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd – Gentleman De Mee 16/1 - Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd – Funambule Sivola 100/1 - Jockey: Charlie Deutsch, Trainer: Venetia Williams
2023 - Energumene
There was never any doubt about the outcome of this renewal of the Champion Chase as Energumene produced a flawless display to successfully defend his crown. Paul Townend always looked comfortable aboard the 6/5 favourite, whose accurate jumping and smooth travelling quickly put his rivals under pressure. The race was effectively over between the final two fences as Energumene surged clear, eventually beating Captain Guinness by a massive 10 lengths, with Greaneteen a further 24 lengths away in third. The emphatic success erased memories of his surprise Clarence House Chase defeat at Cheltenham earlier in the season.
- 1st – Energumene 6/5F - Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd – Captain Guinness 12/1 - Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 3rd – Greaneteen 25/1 - Jockey: Harry Cobden, Trainer: Paul Nicholls
2022 - Energumene
The eagerly anticipated rematch between Shishkin and Energumene failed to materialise after heavy ground blunted the favourite's challenge. Shishkin never travelled with his usual fluency and Nico de Boinville eventually pulled him up, while Willie Mullins' other contender, Chacun Pour Soi, unseated Patrick Mullins when still in contention. That left Energumene in complete control and the 5/2 chance powered clear under Paul Townend to win by eight and a half lengths. The success gave Mullins his first victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the last major gap in his big-race CV.
- 1st – Energumene 5/2 - Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd – Funambule Sivola 40/1 - Jockey: Charlie Deutsch, Trainer: Venetia Williams
- 3rd – Envoi Allen 10/1 - Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
2021 - Put The Kettle On
History was made as Put The Kettle On became the first mare to win the Champion Chase. Having made much of the running, Henry de Bromhead's stable star looked beaten when odds-on favourite Chacun Pour Soi swept past approaching the final fence. However, the Cheltenham hill once again played to her strengths and she battled back bravely under Aidan Coleman to regain the advantage on the run-in. The lead was only narrow, with the seven-year-old just half a length clear of Nube Negra, but this was enough to maintain her perfect Cheltenham record.
- 1st – Put The Kettle On 17/2 - Jockey: Aidan Coleman, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd – Nube Negra 11/1 - Jockey: Harry Skelton, Trainer: Dan Skelton
- 3rd – Chacun Pour Soi 8/13F - Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2020 - Politologue
With Altior and Chacun Pour Soi both missing the race, Politologue seized his opportunity in style with an accomplished front-running performance. Harry Skelton immediately sent the six-year-old to the head of affairs and his slick, accurate jumping steadily stretched the field. Defi Du Seuil, the 2/5 favourite, never looked comfortable and was beaten long before a mistake at the final fence compounded a disappointing effort. Last year’s runner-up continued relentlessly to the line, finishing almost 10 lengths clear of stablemate Dynamite Dollars in an authoritative made-all victory.
- 1st – Politologue 6/1 - Jockey: Harry Skelton, Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- 2nd – Dynamite Dollars 7/1 - Jockey Harry Cobden:, Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- 3rd – Bun Doran 33/1 - Jockey: Jonathan Burke, Trainer: Tom George
2019 - Altior
Altior showed the heart of a champion to successfully defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase title and equal Big Buck's record of 18 consecutive wins over jumps. An uncharacteristic mistake at the water jump and strong late challenges from Politologue and Sceau Royal briefly put the result in substantial doubt. In-play betting, saw odds-on the favourite rise to even money. However, Nico de Boinville always found more from his mount on the climb to the line, with Altior digging deep to prevail by just under two lengths and prove what a generational talent he is.
- 1st – Altior 4/11F - Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd – Politologue 11/1 - Jockey: Harry Cobden, Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- 3rd – Sceau Royal 16/1 - Jockey: Daryl Jacob, Trainer: Alan King
2018 - Altior
The long-awaited clash between Altior and Douvan ended prematurely when the latter crashed out four fences from home, but the Champion Chase still developed into a compelling finish. For much of the contest Altior looked under pressure on testing ground, with Min travelling strongly alongside him approaching the last. Once they straightened for home, however, the favourite's class began to tell. He quickened away after the final fence to beat Min by seven lengths and extend his unbeaten record over fences, writing his name in the history books as one of the true greats.
- 1st – Altior EvsF - Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd – Min 5/2F - Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd – God’s Own 40/1 - Jockey: Paddy Brennan, Trainer: Tom George
2017 - Special Tiara
One of the biggest shocks in recent Festival history unfolded as 2/9 favourite Douvan suffered the first defeat of his chasing career. The heavily backed market leader never looked comfortable, making several jumping errors before fading out of contention, with a post-race examination revealing he had finished lame. That left Special Tiara to seize his chance, on his fourth Champion Chase attempt, and the experienced chaser dug deep under Noel Fehily to repel Fox Norton by a neck. A great day for his connections but perhaps even a better one for the bookies, who pocketed over £10m in bets on Douvan.
- 1st – Special Tiara 11/1 - Jockey: Noel Fehily, Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
- 2nd – Fox Norton 7/1 - Jockey: Aidan Coleman, Trainer: Colin Tizzard
- 3rd – Sir Valentino 33/1 - Jockey: Paddy Brennan, Trainer: Tom George
2016
- 1st – Sprinter Sacre 5/1 - Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd – Un De Sceaux 4/6F - Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd – Special Tiara 16/1 - Jockey: Noel Fehily, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
2015
- 1st – Dodging Bullets 9/2 - Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies, Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- 2nd – Somersby 33/1 - Jockey: Brian Hughes, Trainer: Mick Channon
- 3rd – Special Tiara 18/1 - Jockey: Noel Fehily, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead